4TH OF JULY EARLY MORNING NEGATIVE TIDES IN OCEANSIDE, OREGON

You will need to get up early if you want to explore tide pools and caves in the Summer months on the North Oregon Coast. July has nine negative tides. They started on the 1^st -0.5 at 4:51am. Today, the 4^th was a -1.6 at 7:19am. Tomorrow is a -1.5 at 8am, then the last one is on the 8^th, a -0.5 around 10am. If you look in a tide book the negative tides are usually highlighted in red and it simply means the tides are going to be significantly lower than usual, which exposes beaches and areas you can’t typically get to along with sea life you don’t get to see very often. Memorial Day weekend and the Fourth of July always seem to be when the negative (super low) tides hit, which perfectly coincides with an influx of travelers and explorers. 

We met up with some friends in the parking lot in Oceanside at 6:30 this morning then walked North around Maxwell Point hoping to be able to access Lost Boy Beach all the way at the end of the beach. We were ahead of the lowest part of the tide, but the surf action was larger than expected, which made the tide not  as forgiving when it came to getting to hidden places. The surf forecast was a WNW swell 4 feet at 10 seconds. That is a pretty big ocean for Summer time! None-the-less, we weren't able to access Lost Boy Beach today with our crew of adults and kids (Safety first...too much water rushing around the slippery rocks we needed to climb up on), but there was plenty to see on the side we could reach, so changing plans was just fine. 

My husband Kurt (above) did get up on the slippery rocks, but his boots filled with water doing so. He laid his eyes on Lost Boy Beach, but it wasn't safe for all of us to climb up there today.

In my experience a -1.5 tide isn't quite low enough to access Lost Boy for the North (at Short Beach) or South (from Oceanside), rather a -2.0 or greater is needed (-2.2 is ideal, and is also the lowest tide I've ever witnessed.) Today confirmed my theory, though I don't know that I have given up on trying just yet! The beach and sand heights are constantly changing, which does affect where the water goes.

In our hour long adventure this morning, here are a few of the cool things we did see:

There were quite a few sea stars today, which is a good sign. I hope this means they are back in good health and growing in numbers. The sea anemones were plentiful, as well -- big and small, pink and green. We found a couple of waste deep tide pools high up on the rocks that were teaming with life. Ryan even found a live crab (a keeper by size if we would have had a bucket) and caught it with his bare hands! 

If you  didn't make it out there today, you still have time this week! Walk slow, take your time, look around, but don't turn your back on the surf. Get down at eye level with the sea life that clings below where the water level usually resides. You won't be disappointed! Grossed out maybe, but definitely not disappointed! One thing to avoid touching and pulling from the rocks is sea stars, as they are still recovering in numbers in our area. Otherwise, have a blast! And, take the time to appreciate God's amazing creations big and small!

Ready to change your pace? It will change your life! I can help.

See you at the beach!

~Wendy

www.iwantabeachhome.com 

www.ilovethenw.com